With medical instrument, for example disposable needles, it is often necessary to store the needles in a sterile condition for an extended period of time prior to use. The difficulty with many types of packages is that they are easily destructable particularly when containing a sharp pointed instrument. A "soft" package is easily pierceable by a needle thus destroying the integrity of the package and the sterility of the needle. On the other hand, the "soft" package is easy to open to gain access to the needle. This is of advantage in the medical field where time is often of the essence and also where sharp pointed items like needles are contained in the package. A needle which is difficult to grasp and remove from the package can produce accidental injury to the operator.
Accordingly, it has been found useful to employ a "hard" package for protecting instruments such as disposable needles. The "hard" package is a rigid support structure which protects the needle and avoids the danger of the needle puncturing the walls of the package and destroying the integrity and sterility of the interior. The difficulty with the "hard" package is access to the instrument when the package is open. It can be readily perceived how difficult it is to remove an item from a rigid container. This is particularly true when the item has a sharp point. Accidents can occur if the sharp object is not carefully handled. Therefore, it is advantageous to provide a "hard" package to protect a device such as a needle and also permit easy access to the needle when the package is to be opened and the needle removed and used. An example of one type of structure aimed at attaining the advantages of both the "hard" and the "soft" pack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,319.